Into the Darkness
by fallingtoTartarus23
Summary: The Government has been taken care of. The children have been released from camp. The only lose tie left to fix is Liam. Ruby has a way to get his memory back. Whether it will work or not, is the unanswered question. He was her rock. Her foundation. Without him, she's nothing. And he doesn't remember any of it. But if Ruby is going to save Liam's memory, she has to find him first.
1. Chapter 1

It is finished.

Everything I had worked for. An entire year spent laboring over it.

And it was finished.

I pulled the latch and the gates' bell rang as the metal slowly creaked open. Inside, the cheers of tortured souls rang out.

It hadn't been easy, taking down the government. And I hadn't exactly had a lot of help, thanks to those good for nothing bastards over at the Children's League. But I had managed. With the help of the sane ones of course. I guess you could say we were friends, the sane ones and I. I guess. But after what had happened with _him, _I don't think anything will be the same for a while to come.

That's why I needed to find him. I needed to fix him. I had broken him, while I had thought that I was fixing things. But Christ, was I wrong. I know that if he could remember anything, he'd hate me. He'd hate me and attack me, and try to kill me. And I'd let him. I'd let him because he wouldn't be wrong. He could tell me the nastiest things he could come up with and he wouldn't be wrong. He could cuss me out until his lips turned numb, and he wouldn't be wrong. Because I was wrong. I did this to him. I plucked myself out of each and every one of his memories, just because I knew I could. And I didn't want to make leaving him any harder. The first mistake of many.

I guess this is just what I get for being an Orange though. We go around and raise a little hell. But I don't want to raise hell anymore. I want to be the one to send it back where it came from. People won't exactly be welcoming us with open arms if all they see us do is turn their friends into marionette puppets.

Now with the concentration camps gone, the adults had no clue what to do with us. Lock us up? Protect us from each other? Or worse, pretend nothing had ever happened? These were questions I could worry about later. The only thing that mattered to me right now, was finding Liam. Finding Liam, and giving him his memory back.

That would be all soft and dandy if I could figure out how to do that though. For now, I was stuck roaming around trying to figure it out on my own. I was outside of Thurmond. My old home. My old prison. Watching as the children streamed out, jumping and dancing and smiling. It warmed my heart. I had only had the gates open for no more than a couple minutes, when a familiar face came walking through. A very angry face.

Sam came stomping up the path straight towards me. I braced myself for . . . For what? An angry tirade? A slap? I didn't know what I was bracing myself for. I only knew that what was coming couldn't possibly be pleasant.

"What the hell is wrong with you Ruby?!" she screamed in my face. I was speechless. I should have anticipated at least this. But through my moaning and groaning and pity-party, I hadn't. Sam was heaving in angry breaths. She kept on glaring at me with her fists balled at her sides. She raised a hand and I flinched away. She brought it down on my arm, **hard**.

"Ow!" I yelled. No sooner was the sound out of my mouth, that she wrapped me up in a hug. Physically, she was squeezing the life out of me. But mentally, she gave me some back. When she pulled away there were tears in her eyes.

"How, _dare_, you leave me like that. Don't you ever do that again Ruby or I swear I'll dropkick your ass to Japan." I was shocked. She had worried about me. The fact she had thought about me at all was amazing.

"Y-you were worried about me?" I asked.

"Like hell I was!" She let out a a breathy laugh. "You and me Ruby, it was always you and me." This wasn't just Sam. This was the old Sam. The Sam that I loved. The Sam that loved me.

"You, you remember who I am?" I asked incredulously. She looked at me as if I was insane and nodded. "B-but you can't. I erased your memories of me." She smiled sadly.

"Yes, you took yourself out of my memories, but you didn't erase the memories themselves. Where you had been, there was a growing emptiness. The more I thought about them, the bigger the hole became. I could tell something was missing Ruby.

"It's like that word on the tip of your tongue that you can't remember. I had to think and keep thinking. Eventually, some of the memories came back. Slowly. While you were gone, they brought in some oranges and yellows. I had suspected what an orange could do. And I thought, maybe they could help me remember you." Sam went on explaining her whole story to me as I listened in silent astonishment and joy. She remembered me. She **remembered **me!

Sam said that one day while she was at work and the PSF's weren't looking, she talked to an Orange girl who had developed her abilities. She told her that only the one who had taken away the memory could place it back. She was disappointed, but kept on trying none the less. I had to stop her there.

"Hold up. She said that if I can take a memory away, I can place it back?" She nodded.

"I don't remember exactly what she said, but I'm sure you could talk to her about it. She said once she got out of there she was headed to some place called East River." My heart sunk.

"How long ago did she leave?" I asked.

"She's still here actually. Gathering up those who want to come. I was going to go with them. Doubt my parents want their little freak back," she said with an icy tone. There was still hope left. I needed to find this Orange. If she could tell me how to give memories back, then I could make Liam remember me again.

"Could you take me to her?" I asked. Sam nodded happily and told me the rest of her story on the way to the Orange cabins. She told me that my strange disappearance had caused a stir among the camp. Word had spread that it was a break out. She had thought about me more and more, placing me by accident into her memories.

"I can't explain how I knew to do it. It just felt right." She explained. The more and more she replaced me with the empty spots in her mind, the more it made sense. Then one day, it all clicked. "I broke down sobbing remembering what I had said to you. You didn't speak for months. And it was all my fault."

"It wasn't your fault. I'm the one who took your memories, remember?" I said. She nodded.

"Oh yea, it is all your fault." She said teasing. It didn't make me feel any better about it, but I grinned anyway. We came to the porch of the cabin and Sam opened the door.

"Red, I got somebody I'd like you to meet." The cabin was occupied by girls and boys, all around my age. A girl with Black hair stepped away from the group. I can see where she gets the name from. Her left eye is a beautiful shade of brown, but her left, is red.

"You must be Ruby," Red says. I nod. "Well, this may be a really lame attempt to thank you for all you've done, but thanks." She smiles and grasps my hand. I can immediately feel her trying to get inside my head. I push her out with such force I can see her stumble a little as she lets go of my hand. She gives me a lazy grin. "I can see how you did it. Nobody's been able to block me out yet. You're somethin' special, aren't you?" I skip over her question and answer her with my own.

"Sam said that if you take away a memory, you can give it back." I said. She nodded.

"That's true." The way she looked at me. It reminded me of someone. Powerful. Hungry.

"Will you teach me?" I asked. A sly grin came over her deformed face.

"What's my consolation prize?" She asked. I almost growled in frustration.

"You're trying to get to East River, right?" I asked. Again, Red nodded. "You tell me how to do it, I'll tell you how to get there. I've been myself." Her eyes widened and stared into my eyes. She was debating whether or not I was lying. I didn't see why there was so much of a fuss. What she was going to teach me was a good thing. I couldn't use it to hurt her in any way. She apparently had come to the same realization, because she stuck her hand out and said, "deal." I grinned. Finally.

She pulled me over to her bunk where all the other kids were milling about doing God-knows-what. Sitting on the edge she began to explain.

"How do you take a memory away?" She asked me. I didn't know how she did it, but I knew how I did it. Clancy didn't know how to take memories away. What if she was just playing me for information?

"Well, you have to pluck it out of their mind, or erase it." I answered.

"Right," she nodded. "You pluck a memory, just like you'd pluck a plant. How do you get that plant back?" she asked. when i didnt andwer she continued. "If the roots are still intact, and in this case they are, then you have to nurture it back to health. let it grow again. How do you bring back something you've erased? You draw it again. Like Sam said, her memories of you weren't gone, just empty. Nurture the thought of you back into their heads and it will reappear on it's own. It was never completely gone. Just missing." I guess that's how everything in my life is. Not gone, but missing.

"Now tell me how to get to East River." She said hungrily grabbing my arm for the information. Her eye was such a distraction, I didn't think I'd be able to do it without staring at it.

At first i hesitated. She may have been lying to me. I slowly crept into her head. After diggin around a bit, I found that she was actually telling the truth. "Lake Prince." Is all I said. Red's eyes bounced with glee. I was almost sorry to snuff that light out. Almost. The girl gave me the creeps, to be honest. "But you won't find anyone." I said. There it goes. Darkness. "The slip kid was Clancy Grey." I said. "He was an evil little asshole and abandoned the camp. You won't find anything there." Still in shock, Red didn't move, didn't talk, didn't even blink. I stood and made my exit with Sam before Red could decide to get angry.

Overhearing our conversation, Sam decided that if she couldn't go home, or go to East River, she might as well come with me. I didn't exactly agree that it was the smartest decision, but it would be nice to travel with some company after all this time.

None of it really mattered though. I had Sam back, and I was going to give Liam back his memory.

I just hoped it would work.


	2. Chapter 2

We walk in a comfortable silence. Sam hums occasionally to songs that are foreign to me while I kick at rocks and listen to the crunch of leaves under my feet. It feels weird, not having to run or hide. It's been so long that I've had to be stealthy; I've forgotten how to just walk. How to walk and clear my head. How to walk and not have to worry about anything. It feels . . . nice. And peaceful. I'm not used to peaceful yet. Instead of over thinking, Sam just enjoys it. I can see it in her face. The way she glows, and how her eyes have a slight crinkle in the corners. And in the way her mouth is permanently etched in that little half smile of hers.

We kept walking along the black, paved road, watching for cars. It was about three o'clock when the sun started to barbecue my head. I place my hand on top to quickly pull it away. _I wish I had a hat._ I thought to myself. But I should be grateful to even have shoes. In their hurry to escape, children back at camp had forgotten them. And escapee's usually had outgrown theirs, or they had fallen apart from the miles of walking and fleeing they had done. But one little boy that had run through the large metal gates had even forgot his pants. I laughed out loud remembering the sight of his little legs carrying him as far as he could go. Sam glanced my way, giving me a curious look. I only shook my head and kept walking. Where we were going, I didn't know. I only knew that I had a purpose and I intended to fulfill it.

I shook my head. That wouldn't work. I couldn't head aimlessly into the wilderness, not having the slightest clue where I was headed. I'd be a worm in a bird's nest before I found him. I needed to think. If I was looking for somebody, where would I go? And it hit me. It was dangerous – of course – but I didn't have any better ideas. But why risk Sam like that? I was willing to put myself in harms way. But was I really going to risk Sam?

At the end of the day, Sam and I found an abandoned, used car parking lot. We browsed the aisles of cars, looking for one to suit our needs. We decided upon a dusty black van. Sam thought the seats looked comfortable. I guess I took a liking to it because of its resemblance to Black Betty. I missed that van. There were so many memories tied to it. But then again, it was just a big hunk of metal. What I really missed, were the people inside it. I still remembered the "shopping spree" I took Zuze on. And her happy little face when I gave her those bright pink gloves. Not very inconspicuous, but they made her smile. And chubs screaming at the others that I was a bad idea. Some of the things he said, they hurt. That's why he wouldn't say them to my face. I guess you can't murmur about crackers every night. If only he knew how right he was. I'd give anything to see him gloat and tell the others he was right all along. I'd give anything to hear him tell me that he'd told me so. I'd give anything to see them all. But I couldn't. Not yet.

And Liam. I couldn't think about Liam right then. Any time I thought about him, a bomb was shoved down my throat, gutting my insides as it makes it's way down to my stomach, where it would wait to be set off. By a memory, or his lack of it. It will explode. And so will I. So I choke it down and let it sit for another time, when I can be alone. Sam and I settled into the grey cushioned seats.

"Ruby?" She asked.

"Hmm?" I answered. Sam yawned.

"Where are we even going?" She asked, mid-yawn. I looked over to Sam. Sam who had blindly – and mistakenly – put her trust in me. Sam who was willing to follow after me into the wilderness of West Virginia. Sam who had gone through the trouble of remembering us. Remembering me. She had done all of this, for me no less, and I couldn't even give her an answer. I didn't know why she had done it. And I didn't know why I'd let her. I'd been selfish. And I'd dragged her into my problems. She could have gone home. Right to her family, and security. And she had chosen to come with me. And I didn't have any clue why.

"I don't know," I finally answered. And it seemed a poor statement, when hers was so good.


	3. Chapter 3

We wake to the sound of grinding metal. Gasping, Sam hurls herself into an upright position and stares at me with wide eyes. Returning the look of surprise, I sat up and looked out the window. Outside, cranes and larger met machines were moving about throwing and crushing cars.

"Sam," I said. "We have to get out of here, _now_!" I said. We jump out of the vehicle, and wind through cars as though we are in a maze. In and out we go, sliding over, in between, under, next to the dusty, rusty vehicles. Cars are crashing to the ground thunderously around us. As we run, I notice the ground begin darken over our shadows. I look skyward just in time to push Sam out of the way of a hurtling Minivan. I can tell Sam is tiring. I am as well. My legs don't ache yet, but my lungs are burning and my, well, _everything,_ is covered in sweat. I can now see the chain link gates upahead, but knew we couldn't stop once we reached them. We have to keep running and running until we can't anymore. Because we don't know who's seen us. We aren't fugitives anymore, but it still isn't safe to be roaming around West Virginia. Out here, one color could signal a population of sympathy and psychopaths. Word doesn't spread as fast as it used to. And even if it did, the old ways are always familiar. Why wander into uncharted territory when you have a map sitting on your desk?

We exit through the fence and keep running. We push and push and push. I'm thankful I don't have to tell Sam that we need to keep going. I don't have enough breath. We run, and run, and run. We continue running until we run straight into a tree. Both of us. Except, this tree had black bark. And four small limbs. That wore . . . pink gloves? It can't be. It's almost impossible. They'd have to be on the other side of the country by now.

"Z-Zu?" I say, panting for oxygen I don't have. As my vision clears, I can see her slight frame enter my line of sight. She is taller and more muscled from all her walking. Her face, while still soft, has hardened in ways only our circumstances could. Even her hair has grown. What was once extremely short, is now almost at her shoulders. Her eyes bore into me and I can't hold my feet back from running to her. I wouldn't have been able to stop them even if I had been able to. I collapse to the ground in tears and pulled her to me. We sit in our embrace crying. When the time comes to pull away, I wipe the tears from her cheeks and take her gloved hand. I walk her over to Sam.

"Zu," I say. "This is Sam. Sam, meet Zuzana." They hesitantly shake hands. After Zu lets Sam's hand drop back down to her side, she looks up at me with pleading eyes. She looks relieved to be able to turn the power and decision making over to me. I would be too, if I were her. No responsibility. The epitome of childhood. I smile down at her and look around for her companions. I turn from side to side, looking around, but I come up unsuccessful.

"Where are you friends, Zu?" Her eyes cloud with sadness and her face shifts the forty-some muscles it takes to frown. She shakes her head from side to side. "Did something happen to them?" I ask with concern. At first, she hesitates, but she nods eventually. In my peripheral vision, I can see Sam shift from one foot to another awkwardly. Zu's features immediately sag and darken. Something tragic has _definitely_ happened. I take her gloved hand in mine. "Well you can come with us now. And together, the three of us will find Liam and Chubs." She looks up to me, a newfound hope gleaming in her eyes. "And it'll be just the same as it was before." I pause. "Plus one," I say motioning to Sam with a smile.


	4. Chapter 4

"Where are we even going?" Sam asks as we trudge along the side of the road. I know exactly where we're going. It's just the getting there part that needs work. I look over to Sam.

"Children's League headquarters," I say. Sam looks at me with stunned eyes. I smirk. "Don't seem so surprised Samantha. You should know by now that I'm not the brightest bulb in the box." The corners of her mouth turn up in a knowing smile.

"Oh, I know. I just didn't know that you had this self-destructive desire to get us all killed." My smile twitches as it struggles to stay in place.

"If you don't feel comfortable with this, you don't have to come. You know that right?" I ask. The smile has left my face by this point and is replaced by a look of full sincerity. Sam laughs when she sees it.

"Of course I know that. But it's not like I have anywhere else to go. You're all I've got left, Ruby. Besides," she says looking over to Zu. "Self-destructive missions seem to be our casualty." She smiles and tugs on the little locks of hair that have been growing longer around Zu's head. It has been almost a month, and Sam asks me the same question every day. _Where are we going? When are we going to get there? For the love of God Ruby, what _do _you know?_ She says it all as if she's joking. But I know she's not. Curiosity gets the best of all of us. But for her, it is her fatal flaw. If the saying, "curiosity killed the cat" is true, then Sam's in for one hell of a surprise. But I owe it to her. I owe her answers. And each day I can't feed them to her, the more I hate myself for what I'm doing. But today I've given up. And I'm so _very_ glad that I told her. Because she doesn't seem to mind that we are heading toward some of our most hated enemies.

I've already told her about what has happened with them. And she believes every word I say. I wish it weren't so easy to trust. I wish that she would question everything I did. Ask me why, how, what, where, when. And she does. Once. Every. Day. That's not enough. That will _never_ be enough. I need her to show her fatal flaw. Because I need reassurance that she won't blindly, or rather, stupidly follow me into something that will get us both killed. And where would that leave Zu? She needs us. But I can't honestly be all that I can without one person. And that one person is out there. Not lost, but not found. He is just unreachable. Like everything else I've ever wanted.

As we walk along, Zu and Sam nudge each other while Sam chatters endlessly on, while Zu just smiles and nods her little head from time to time. She'll make gestures to answer Sam's questions frequently, but she still never says a word. And Sam thinks nothing of it. She says nothing about those little pink gloves, or the sad, lost look in her eyes. She just talks and talks, and never expects an answer. Because she already knows that she isn't going to get one. They've managed to grow so close, the two of them, in just a couple weeks' time. Of course, Zu still prefers me, (thank God for that) but she has managed to completely win over Sam too. Which, I am fine with. As long as our little band of lost girls stays together, and stays happy. Maybe that's all I really want, is to be happy. Happiness is one of those things that come along with everything else unreachable. The only other thing unreachable at the moment are my clean socks, and Sam the moment she is hit by the car that has come up behind us.


End file.
